Rap Vet D.O.C. Talks Working On Detox, Erykah Badu

Debuting in 1989 on infamous West Coast label Ruthless Records with this classic No One Can Do It Better album, Dallas rapper D.O.C. became an integral part of the Ruthless camp serving as a songwriter for Dr. Dre and label head Eazy E. An unfortunate car accident in the same year of his debut happened just as the rapper was gaining fame. The crash crushed D.O.C.’s larynx, altering his voice into a raspy whisper and somewhat derailing his rap career.

D.O.C. did manage to release more material but was primarily behind the scenes working with Dr. Dre as a ghostwriter and keeping his ties to the industry intact as a result. While D.O.C. is set on making a comeback with a revolutionary surgery that will hopefully restore his voice, he has had quite a bumpy road on his way back to rap prominence.

Speaking with the Dallas Observer, D.O.C. revealed hardships befitting a person whose career was stalled far too soon. “I was totally in the grips of the drug lifestyle,” said D.OC. to the Observer. “The only thing I was really concerned with was having enough money in my pocket so that I knew I could get high when I wanted to.” D.O.C.’s freewheeling lifestyle contributed to his accident and had become to define the rapper although he has since gotten help for his addictions.

The rapper born Tracy Curry has had some good times coupled with the bad. Singer Erykah Badu is the mother of D.O.C.’s 7-year-old daughter Puma and the rapper lived part time with Badu while getting his life in order. The rapper even has designs of marrying the eclectic singer and hopes to have a reality show to go along with it. D.O.C. is also looking to have a procedure done using stem cell technology in hopes to restore his distinctive booming voice.

Over the years, D.O.C. and Dr. Dre have had fallouts during the lengthy recording process of Detox. Dre was paying Curry a $20K a year retainer’s fee and D.O.C. also mentioned he received about the same amount in writer’s royalty checks a year as well. With new management behind him, D.O.C. is also looking to receive back pay for his ghostwriting work on Dre’s 2001 and earlier Ruthless Records recordings.

Dre and D.O.C. have patched up their differences and are working again on Detox together after an angered Snoop shared with radio host Tim Westwood that Dre lost his direction. The old friends are all on the same page helping Dre with Detox and D.O.C. shared his joy. “We all got love for each other,” he says. “I love Dre like my f—–g family,” shared a humbled D.O.C.

What do you think of D.O.C. return to rap? Will he help Dr. Dre get his magic back? Tweet to us at @MTVRapFix or leave us a comment below.